By Stephen G. Fellajuah
Monrovia, Liberia, June 9, 2026 – Former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor has formally petitioned the Liberian Senate to intervene in her ongoing struggle to obtain pension benefits she says have remained unpaid since she left office in January 2024.
In a communication addressed to Senate Pro-Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence and members of the Liberian Senate, Howard-Taylor expressed frustration over what she described as the government’s failure to fulfill its legal obligations regarding her post-service benefits.
According to the former vice president, she has satisfied all statutory requirements outlined in Liberia’s pension laws but has yet to receive the benefits to which she is entitled.
“I want my pension benefits,” Howard-Taylor stated in her appeal, urging the Senate to take action on the matter.
Under Section 1.4.2 of Liberia’s June 2010 Pension Law (Non-Contributory Pension Scheme), a former vice president who has honorably transitioned to private life and is not employed by the government is entitled to receive 50 percent of the salary of the sitting vice president.
The law further provides that a former vice president should be entitled to personal staff and facilities, as well as an annual allowance of no less than US$15,000.
Howard-Taylor served as Liberia’s 30th Vice President from 2018 to 2024 under the administration of former President George Weah. She made history as the first woman to hold the office of vice president in Liberia.
Her appeal has drawn attention to broader concerns about the government’s commitment to honoring the legal entitlements of former public officials.
The prolonged delay in processing her pension benefits has fueled public discussion about the treatment of former national leaders and the implementation of laws governing post-service benefits.
